Safety switch



Patented July 1, 1924.

UNITED STATES 1,499,751 PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT S. RHODES, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO CONSOLIDATED CAR- HEATING COMPANY, OF ALBANY, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

SAFETY SWITCH.

Application led January 25, 1921. Serial No. 439,812.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT S. RHODES, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York city, borough of Brooklyn, in

i the county of Kings and State of New York,

have invented certain new. and useful Improvements in Safety Switches, the following being a full, clear, and exact disclosure of the one form of my invention which I at present deem preferable.V

For a detailed description of the present form of my invention, references may be had to the following specification and to the accompanying drawing forming a part theieof, wherein Figure 1 is a front view, and

Figure 2 a side view with the box or casing in section.

My invention constitutes an improvement on a safety-switch devised by Lee P. Hynes and Percy M. Grifiin, and shown in application Ser. No. 367,256 filed March 19, 1920.

Switches of this type are designed for use with high voltages and the purpose is to provide for the operation of the switch from outside of the enclosing box or casing, so

as not to expose the operator to the danger of contact with the live part of the switch mechanism. It is also desirable that the operating handle shall be on the front of the box or casing instead of the side and that it have a considerable range of movement to provide the force necessary to compress the actuating spring of the switch. In the switch of this kind shown in the aforesaid application Ser. No. 367,256, the handle moves in a slot formed in the front plate of the box and carries with it a. sliding cover plate that lies across the slot to prevent contact with the interior members of the switch, and also to prevent the emergence through the slot of any arc which may result from the rupture of the high-voltage circuit when the switch is opened. The handie is also arranged to prevent opening of the box except when the switch is open.

My improvement resides in a form of switch handle which will itself maintain the closure of the slot in the casing through which it protrudes while at the same time permitting the desired range of movement of the handle. It likewise preserves the locking effect by which the handle prevents the 'opening of the box cover except when it is moved to the switch-opening position.

Referring to the drawing A represents one side of the box or casing. A1 represents a fixed section of the front face and A2 A3 are hinged covers for the top and bottom portionsof said front face of the box. A2 is hinged at a2 and A3 at a3. The movable switch contact is shown at B, the stationary one at B1. The coil of the blow-out magnet is shown at C.V The pole-piece D thereof extends below coil C and is secured to the base F. By this arrangement the depth of the box is materially reduced. Inside of polepiece D is the arc-chute E of insulating material surrounding the contacts B and B1. The mechanism of the switch is not shown, since snap-break switch mechanisms are well known in the art and I may use any desired form thereof; II is the operating lever of such a switch, and I handle, a disc-sector G of insulating material which projects through a slot in the box as shown in the drawing. Outside of the box and projecting from the sides of disc-sector G are Iknobs G1 which not only serve for operating theV disc-sector but also prevent the lifting of hinged cover A3 when the handle is in its full-line position, the switch being then closed. When, however, the handle is moved to its dotted-line position to open the switch, then the knobs G1 are back of the hinge a3 and the cover A3 can be turned up into its dotted-line position to give access to the lower part of the box for replacing a fuse or other purpose. Since the switch is necessarily open at this time, it is safe to touch it, the only live point being the contact B1 that is out of reach. In all its positions the discsector G completely fills the slot and thus avoids the need for the sliding cover heretofore used to cover the slot as the handle moves to and fro therein.

What I Vclaim asnew and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A safety switch comprising a casing provided with a hinged cover having a slot therein open at one end contiguous to the hinged portion of the cover, a switch handle extending through and normally filling said slot, and means on said handle co-operating with a portion of the cover contiguous to the closed end of the slot to prevent movement of the latter until the handle is moved to a predetermined position.

2. A safety switch comprising a casing provided with a cover hinged at one end,

secure thereto, as a land means on said handle to prevent opening Y of the @over until the handle has heen moved to'A the open endzofthe slot.y f A 3.`A safety switch comprising a casing,

Ya cover hinged at one end to said easing and provided with a slot open at the hinged end,

Va disk-like switch-actuating member pivotal- ,ly supported and extending through said slot, and means on said disk positioned to form a handle anden-operating Wthrsaid slot to` prevent openings-ofthe cover until the diskv moved to apredetermined position. l Y

4. yA safety. switchV comprising a easing, a cover hinged at One end to said Casing'and having a slot extending to the hinged end, aV pivotally supported disk-likeY sector exthis aithday of tendingA through and normally Vfilling said Y handleV and co-operating with said slot to prevent movementV of the vcover until the locking means is moved to a Position of clearance loca/ted beyond thehinged connection.

5;.y A. safety switch comprising a easing, Y' u a stationary @over section having a slot open atlone end, a cover hinged at one end and having a slot aligned and in .regster With the slot of theV stationary cover, a disk sector extending through and simultaneously fillingrhoth slots, and loeking'means 'on said. disk sector normally preventing movementYV of the hinged cover until said locking means is moved'to a position over the slot the Y stationary oever.V Y Y Signed at county and State of NewYork,V

J anuary,r192l. 'Y

ROBERT 

